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Editorial: The War against Christmas Is Symptomatic of a Bigger Problem, Intolerant Secularism Comments

We are the soul of the world in this age. That vocation has never been comfortable. That is why we have as our sign a cross. Intolerant Secularism is on the rise. We must not cower when confronted by those who attempt to silence us. Our message is not our own. It is for the whole world and it still sets the captives free. Continue Reading

11 - 19 of 19 Comments

techwreck

2 years ago

"Love your neighbor as yourself" means that we can not be silent about the gospel message. Deacon Keith (thank you for this much needed message) correctly states that Christianity is under attack in our country, and such attacks must be answered with the gift of Christ's words of love and hope - "Our position is the opposite of hatred of the human race. It is borne out of a love for the dignity of all men and women in their person, their bodies, and their families. It expresses our hope to see all men and women experience authentic human freedom and flourishing." A Merry and Christian Christmas to you all.

Clinton

2 years ago

Without God, "man" does not exist.

Brian

2 years ago

I have another question. The early Christians didn't have centuries of troubled, ambiguous history weighing on them, did they?

DLL

2 years ago

Faith is a gift. Most people do not have this gift. One must actively seek God as they already have a part in Him as he is our creator. God defines human character as God is good. Because God is good humankind was also created to be good. It is not good to resist God. When humankind resists God they lose their uniquely designed character that makes for daily productivity,faith and fun. Christmas is a celebration of Life. All can celebrate life and the joy of giving as well as to receive. Christmas is a super holiday. Christmas is the best holiday. People are at their best generally at Christmas. A Tree in the house is admittedly a nutty Idea,but it is fun and becomes a decorative creation uniquely expressive of those who choose to decorate it. The merchants love you all most at Christmas as you all are in their holiday dreams each day until after the post Christmas sales. Secular people also love making MONEY at Christmas. The dumbest holiday is New Years as Happy they never are as a year gone by,still optimistically we all wish each other a Happy New Year. Christmas should not be allowed to become XXXmas as that is Un-American and even un patriotic. Christmas is for Children as well. Tradition defines all cultures. Christmas defines lovingly the character of our country just like the Word Series or the Super Bowl. To love Tradition is not un constitutional.

Brian

2 years ago

Didn't Father Morris, himself a Fox News contributor, say that the "War on Christmas" is overly hyped and charged with excess anger?

Tom McGuire

2 years ago

When the Bishops today can say this about Catholics, the witness for the reign of God will be effective.

"They reside in their respective countries, but only as aliens. They take part in everything as citizens and put up with everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their home, and every home a foreign land. They marry like all others and beget children but they do not expose (kill or abandon) their offspring. Their board they spread for all, but not their bed."

The Catholic Church is a world Church, can we, American Catholics, learn from the faithful Catholics in China about the joy in suffering for Christ? Can we learn from African Catholics the meaning of celebration? Can we learn from Catholics of Latin America the meaning of preferential option for the poor?

Jesus did not condemn the Roman government; He preached and lived the reign of God. When I read articles like this, I go away with the impression the Catholic Church is about political power not the power of the cross.

Joseph

2 years ago

All very true, we need to fight the good fight for the faith against those who would reduce the Christian offer of the Good Life, of Salvation, both present and future. But this battle cannot be fought effectively while so many of the leaders of the church - Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals - do absolutely nothing. Let us speak bluntly. Their vocation is (or should be) to clarify, encourage, inspire and above all to lead. 'Lead' is the key word. Members of the hierarchy have to get out of their comfort zones and pitch into the fray, just as the great Church leaders of the past did. They can no longer permit themselves the luxury of hiding behind the barricades instead of leading the charge over them. Every time there is an attack on Christianity - be it a Cross, or nativity scene, or misnaming the Christmas tree ecc. ecc. Where, oh where, are the Bishops? Why are they not calling press conferences? Giving interviews? Boldly and openly criticising anti-Christian, indeed anti-religious intolerance? And it is not good enough for the Church hierarchy to say it's all down to the lay community to do the fighting. That has never been the tradition of the Church and if the hierarchy really are advocating doing nothing themselves and leaving it all to lay Church members they are effectively advocating Protestantism, where every believer is a priest and hierarchy has absolutely no raison d'etre. Is that really what they believe? I don't think so. So you are absolutely right, Deacon, to urge everyone to take full cognisance of the secular threat facing us. But the time for indulging the hierarchy is long past. It is time for plain speaking. The Bishops are failing in their duty to the Church, to the faithful, and above all to God. This is simply not good enough and all of us, as members of the Church, have the right to demand vigorous and robust leadership from our leaders. We common foot soldiers of the Faith have the right to be led by Generals, not abandoned to our fate by officers who refuse to shoulder the burden of their responsibilities before God and man.

abey

2 years ago

Where the constitution is to "free exercise" then how is it such restriction which is to Spiritual slavery, being brought about through the courts indicating that the law coming out, contradicts the Constitutional provisions. To the basic Question- If the Government is off/by & for the people upon which is the Constitution based, even unto the free expression of the faith how then can this provision become contradictory suggesting a higher Authority than the elected Government definitely not referring to God, but to a government within the Government making themselves not answerable to the people, a secretive one of the most dangerous kind to the Biblical words in the OT of the manner "There is a Conspiracy brewing among its Princes" to the Iniquity that was at work to know the Spirit behind it, Is evident today even through the laws which Jesus Christ warned about as ''Beware of the leaven of Herod--". As far as the Catholic Church, the best that it did especially in the latter years is to keep away from Freemasonry & its close adherence to the witchcraft, by the initiations which the Bible in Prophecy calls as "The Craft" which is but to the source of ancient Egyptian beliefs , the enemy, for the Enemy of the Church is the enemy of God & vice versa , & it is not accounted to love the Enemy of God which would be calling satan as love. This is reflected by the Enmity which God put between the serpent & the woman & by their seeds, the enmity that God put between them as a correction, lest the woman fallen into the Sorcery ends up calling the Serpent & its ways as love & lovely.

Emma

2 years ago

Christian witness is not wanted in the public arena, especially during the Christmas Holy Days, that's most evident. Perhaps the answer to this stalemate is one of witness, prayer, fasting and worship during these times. Perhaps Christians should demonstrate their faith by fasting from shopping from Nov. 1st through Jan.31st, with the exception of necessities. We can still share meals and time with our loved ones without feeding the machine that has replaced Christ in Christmas with obscene consumerism. One holiday season would pass. The next year the market place would be filled with Christian Symbolism as merchants begged for the return of the Christian Consumer. How willing are we to tell our children, "Not this year, honey. This year we're honoring the birth of our Lord, not the memory of Steve Jobs. "?

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